PRESS RELEASE | Oct. 14, 2014
Oct. 14: U.S. Military, Partner Nations Conduct Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria and Iraq
October 14, 2014

Release #20141016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 14, 2014 – U.S. and partner nation military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria Monday and today using bomber and fighter aircraft to conduct 22 airstrikes. Separately, U.S. military forces used attack aircraft Monday to conduct one airstrike against ISIL in Iraq.

In Syria, 21 airstrikes near Kobani destroyed two ISIL staging locations and damaged another, destroyed one ISIL building and damaged two others, damaged three ISIL compounds, destroyed one ISIL truck, destroyed one ISIL armed vehicle and one other ISIL vehicle. As part of these strikes, an additional seven ISIL staging areas, two ISIL mortar positions, three ISIL occupied buildings and an ISIL artillery storage facility were struck and initial indications are that these strikes were successful. One strike near Dayr az Zawr struck a modular oil refinery and initial indications are that this strike was successful.

These airstrikes are designed to interdict ISIL reinforcements and resupply and prevent ISIL from massing combat power on the Kurdish held portions of Kobani. To conduct these strikes, the U.S. employed U.S. fighter and bomber aircraft deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations. In addition, fighter aircraft from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated in these airstrikes. All aircraft departed the strike areas safely.

U.S. Central Command continues to closely monitor the situation in Kobani. Indications are that airstrikes have slowed ISIL advances. However, the security situation on the ground there remains fluid, with ISIL attempting to gain territory and Kurdish militia continuing to hold out.

In Iraq, one strike southwest of Kirkuk destroyed one ISIL armed vehicle and one ISIL vehicle. All aircraft departed the strike areas safely.

The U.S. strikes were conducted as part of the President’s comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy ISIL. The destruction and degradation of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group’s ability to lead, control, project power and conduct operations.